The present invention relates to a photoelectric combined connector, more specifically, a photoelectric combined connector including a board.
A conventional photoelectric combined connector 100 is shown in FIG. 5. The conventional photoelectric combined connector 100 is formed of a plug side connector 102 and a receptacle side connector 106. The plug side connector 102 includes a plug side housing 126; a plug side terminal 130 disposed in the plug side housing 126; and a block 134 detachably attached to the plug side connector 102. A plug side shell 128 is made of metal, and an end portion thereof is bent to form a block fixing portion 138 for fixing the block 134.
The receptacle side connector 106 includes a receptacle side housing 160; and a receptacle side terminal 170 disposed in the plug side housing 160.
An optical receiving and emitting element (not shown) is disposed in the block 134 for converting light received from an optical fiber 108 to a weak electrical signal. The electrical signal is sent to a wiring 132 disposed on a front surface of the block 134 for performing various processes. The optical receiving and emitting element also converts an electrical signal received through contact between the receptacle side terminal 170 and the plug side terminal 130, and contact between the plug side terminal 130 and the wiring 132 to light.
In the conventional photoelectric combined connector, a weak electrical signal generated in the optical receiving and emitting element is sent as is, i.e., not being amplified, to the receptacle side housing 106. Therefore, when transmitting a signal, noise may enter the electrical signal. To this end, it is necessary to provide an amplifier device such as an amp. In general, such an amplifier device is provided outside a connector as a separate component. In this case, a device tends to become large, thereby making it difficult to provide a low-profile connector.
In the conventional photoelectric combined connector, the block 134 is fixed in a state that the block fixing portion 138 presses the block 134 against the plug side terminal 130. As a result, contact between the wiring 132 of the block 134 and the plug side terminal 130 becomes unstable. Further, it is necessary to provide the block fixing portion 138, thereby increasing the number of components.
In view of the problems described above, an object of the present invention is to provide a low-profile connector with a small number of components capable of mounting a component such as an amplifier device.
Further objects will be apparent from the following description of the invention.